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Feelings of safety: Fewer Australians feel safe than ever Feelings of safety: Fewer Australians feel safe than ever
In 2026, a majority of Australians (53%) say they feel ‘unsafe’ or ‘very unsafe’ in the world, while only 47% say they feel ‘safe’ or ‘very safe’. This is the smallest proportion of respondents who have expressed feelings of safety in the history of the Lowy Institute Poll, marking a 45-point drop in feelings of safety from 2010, when 92% of Australians reported feeling ‘safe’ or ‘very safe’. This year’s result is three points lower than the previous record low, reported in 2020 (50%) at the onset of the Covid pandemic.
About the author
Charles Lyons-Jones
Charles Lyons-Jones is a Research Fellow in the Lowy Institute’s Foreign Policy and Public Opinion Program. He oversees the annual Lowy Institute Poll and the Global Diplomacy Index.
